Dollhouse
by BubblyShell22
Summary: After enduring three weeks of torture, the Turtles must learn to cope after everything they have been through. Will they return to normal, or has their ordeal scarred them for life?
1. Chapter 1

Dollhouse

Chapter 1: Captured

A/N: This is a plot bunny that hit me after watching the season premiere of Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family. I was intrigued by what the girls went through, so I thought it would be neat to have the Turtles go through it, too, and see how they would react to it. For the record, this is not set in my Truth and Lies universe and is totally separate from that. Having said that, I hope that you enjoy what I have in store for the Turtles in this story. Trust me, it's not going to be pretty.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Summary: After enduring three weeks of torture, the Turtles must learn to cope after everything they have been through. Will they return to normal, or has their ordeal scarred them for life?

It started out as any normal night in New York. Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo were out for their usual patrol of the city. Things had returned to normal after the Kraang invasion, and everything seemed okay thus far. Mikey was bouncing on the balls of his feet, eager to start patrol while the others turned and listened to Leo.

"I think we should just stick together this time," Leo instructed.

"But we always split up," Raph said.

"I know, but I just have this feeling that something's not right," Leo answered.

Raph rolled his green eyes. "You worry too much, Fearless," he scoffed. "Everything's fine."

"If it makes you feel better, Leo, how about if we split up into two teams?" Don suggested. "That way none of us will be alone."

"Okay, that's sounds like a good idea," Leo agreed. "Raph, you're with me. Donnie, you go with Mikey."

"Why can't I go with Raph?" Mikey complained. "You always stick me with Donnie!"

"Because if I let you go with Raph, we'll never get anything done," Leo answered. "We'll split up and meet back here in an hour, got it?"

"Got it," everyone answered.

"Good. See you then." Leo took off to the west side with Raph on his heels, leaving Mikey and Donnie to cover the east side.

"So, what's up, Fearless?" Raph asked.

"What do you mean?" Leo asked him.

"You've been actin' weird lately," he commented. "I figured now that Karai's back on our side, you wouldn't be so uptight about everything."

Leo sighed. "I know it sounds weird, but I've just got this funny feeling something's going to happen tonight. That's why I want us to be on our guard."

"Man, you've been hangin' around Splinter too much," Raph grumbled.

"I have not!" Leo protested.

"Really? So what are those sessions in his room about?"

"We just have tea and talk," Leo replied. "It's sort of a bonding thing we have."

"Yeah, I get it," Raph said. He seemed jealous, but he knew Splinter didn't play favorites and loved all of his sons equally as his own. But there were times where Raph felt that Splinter did favor Leo a little over the others at times.

They were quiet for a while until they heard the sounds of a scuffle. Tensed for action, the two Turtles followed the sounds and saw the Purple Dragons hassling some young kids. With a growl, Raph jumped down and confronted the gang.

"Don't you idiots know it's not nice to bother kids?" he said.

"What business is it of yours, freak?" Fong demanded.

"It's my business if you're buggin' little kids," Raph answered.

Tsoi and Sid advanced on Raph, but he was ready and engaged in battle. Leo was handling Fong, and between the two Turtles, they managed to defeat the gang in record time. When Leo went to check on the kids, they were gone.

"Now how do you like that?" Raph grumbled. "We saved their lives and they don't have the decency to thank us properly."

"You can't blame them, Raph," Leo said. "People are still scared after the invasion."

"Yeah, but it ticks me off!" Raph snapped.

Leo laughed. "Raph, everything ticks you off."

"Not everything!" Raph protested.

"Okay, so you didn't get ticked off when Mikey ate your cereal this morning? And how about when you got mad when I beat you in practice? Or the time you flipped over the coffee table because your favorite wrestler lost his match?"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Raph said. "I get ticked off at everything. Are you happy now?"

"Actually, I am," Leo said. He was about to say more when something pricked his neck. He craned his head around and saw a dart sticking out. "Where'd that come from?" he asked, pulling it out.

"I don't know but I'm gonna kick the shell of whoever did it," Raph threatened, but before he could do anything else, a dart pricked him as well. He tried to see who had shot it, but they were completely concealed. Dizziness overcame the two Turtles and they collapsed as the dart took effect.

Steranko and Zeck jumped down and smiled at the two prone Turtles.

"Good shootin' there, S," Zeck said. "Now we got them right where we want them."

"Yes, now our master can enact his revenge," Steranko replied. He pulled out a phone and dialed a number. "Ve have captured two of the Turtles, Master Shredder."

"Excellent," Shredder's voice said on the other end. "Make sure you bring them to me."

Steranko and his comrade picked up Leo and Raph and disappeared into the night. Phase one was just completed.

22222

Meanwhile, Donnie and Mikey were having a pretty uneventful patrolling session, too. Mikey was babbling about something he'd seen on TV and how cool it had been. "Man, I wanna try that," he said.

"Mikey, it's impossible for you to try it," Don replied. "You could get seriously hurt."

"Relax, D," Mikey soothed. "I'm a ninja, remember? I can pull off crazy stunts that no one else can do."

"If you say so," Donnie laughed.

They were interrupted by breaking glass and the sound of an alarm. The two Turtles sprang into action and followed the sounds until they spotted a group of kids robbing an electronics store.

"You think we should stop it?" Mikey asked.

"Yep, we can't let them get away with it," Don answered.

Mikey grinned and with a yell of, "Booyakasha!" he leapt off the building and surrounded the group of kids. "Now, put the nice electronics down and nobody gets hurt."

"In your dreams, freak!" one of the kids spat.

"Now, that's no way to talk to my brother!" Don scolded. He swung his bo staff and hit one of the kids right on the head. He went down in a heap. That prompted the others to try to defend their fallen friend, but they were no match for Mikey and Donnie, who defeated them in no time.

"Score a win for the B team!" Mikey yelled.

"I thought we were the A minus team," Don said.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot that we got a promotion," Mikey laughed. He was about to say more when a dart pricked him in the neck. He turned around and pulled the dart out before Donnie had the chance to warn him not to. "Dude, what hit me?" he asked. He began to get dizzy and collapsed in a heap as darkness took over.

Don whirled around and tried to find the person who had darted his brother, but as he scanned the surrounding area, he was also hit with a dart. "This isn't good," he muttered as he, too, became dizzy and collapsed.

Rahzar and Fishface stepped out of the shadows and smiled down at the prone forms of the two Turtles.

"That was easier than I thought it would be," Rahzar commented.

"Yes, it will be great to turn them over to Master Shredder so he can have his revenge," Fishface replied. He pulled out a phone and dialed a number. "Master Shredder, we have Donatello and Michelangelo."

"Excellent," said Shredder. "Bring them straight to me."

Fishface and Rahzar smiled and carried the two Turtles away so that Shredder could have his revenge.

22222

Leo woke up and moaned. His head was throbbing, but he gingerly sat up and felt better when the room didn't spin. He looked around and saw that he was in his room at home. Had Splinter saved them and carried them here? Or what if the Mighty Mutanimals had saved the day? Getting out of bed, Leo hurried to the door and found that it was locked.

"Mikey, this isn't funny!" he yelled. "Open the door!" He waited to hear Mikey's telltale laugh, but it didn't come. He looked around and saw that it was just like his room at home, but when he opened the books on the shelves, they were empty. That meant this wasn't really his room, so where was he? And if he was here, were his brothers here, too?

22222

Raph woke up and looked around. What the heck had happened to him? He saw that everything in his room was just as it should be. But how had he gotten here? He got off the bed and hurried to his door, but it wouldn't budge. Had Mikey locked him in again?

"Mikey, you better open this door or I'm gonna kick your shell in!" he threatened. Raph waited to hear Mikey's hurried footsteps, but there was nothing. What was going on? He looked around and saw that his room was the same as it always was, but there was one thing that was different. A small turtle sat in a bowl on his nightstand. Wait, that wasn't right! Spike was Slash now. How could this have happened? Something was going on, and Raph wasn't happy about what it was.

"Someone's playin' a trick and when I get out of here, I'm gonna kick their ass!" he threatened.

22222

Donnie opened his eyes. He was disoriented, but he quickly got his bearings. How had he gotten into his room? Had he fallen asleep and been carried here? He got out of bed and saw that everything seemed in its place. With a sigh, he went to his door, but it was locked up tight, and he couldn't get out.

"Mikey, if you're playing a prank again, it's not funny," he said. "If you open the door, I'll let you help me with my next invention." He waited to hear Mikey come barreling at his door, but there was no sound. That meant that Mikey hadn't locked him in, and something else was wrong here. And if he wasn't at home, were his brothers with him, or were they looking for him?

22222

Mikey groaned as he opened his eyes. "Dude, what the shell was that?" he moaned. "I probably ate too much pizza again and passed out. Yeah, that has to be it. Time to get up and make something for breakfast." He hopped out of bed and went to the door, but it wouldn't open. "Uh, guys, can you open the door? Look, I know I played a lot of pranks on you, but I'm really sorry. Please let me out." He listened for the sounds of his brothers' laughter as they reveled in finally getting him back, but there was nothing. What was going on?

"Guys, are you there?" he called. "Where are you? What's going on here?"

22222

Leo was getting frantic. How could he be locked in his room? He was about to try to open the door again when it opened of its own accord. He waited and then heard a female voice say, "Please exit your room and follow the lighted path!"

Leo wasn't sure what to think of this announcement, but he tentatively exited his room and met up with his brothers who exited their own doors.

"Guys, I'm so happy to see you!" Mikey cried as he gave them all a hug.

"Okay, is this some elaborate prank you set up, Mikey?" Raph demanded. "Because if it is, it's not funny!"

"Dude, I swear, it's not me!" Mikey protested.

"I don't think this is Mikey at all," Don said. "Someone else is messing with us."

"But who would do that?" Leo asked.

The female voice said, "Please follow the lighted path!"

"What do we do, Leo?" Mikey asked him.

"I guess we'd better follow the path and see where it leads," Leo replied. "Stay close, okay?'

The others nodded as they followed their leader down the hallway and to wherever the path would lead. They weren't sure what was going on, but what they didn't know was that what they would endure would change them forever.

A/N: And that's the end of the first chapter. I'm having so much fun plotting this story, and I can't wait to bring you more. The next chapter will deal with how Splinter and the others are coping while the Turtles are gone and the rescue mission to find them. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Search

A/N: So here's the next chapter in this little tale. I'm having a lot of fun plotting this story out and I hope you're having fun reading it. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me. This chapter will focus on Splinter and the others as they try to find the Turtles.

Guest: Yes, I did base this off of the Pretty Little Liars TV show. It was an idea that came to me after watching this past week's episode, and I just had to write it down, so this story was born. I'm glad you like it so far. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more than that.

"Leonardo!"

Splinter sat bolt upright in bed, breathing hard as he looked around his room. He had just woken up from yet another nightmare involving his sons. These nightmares had been frequent since his sons had gone missing, and he wasn't sure if they were ever going to stop. It had been almost three weeks since his sons had gone out on patrol and hadn't returned home. Splinter had been frantic to find them, but there had been no trace of them.

"Father?"

Splinter turned to see Karai standing in the doorway of his room. "My daughter, what are you doing up?" he asked.

"I heard you cry out and wanted to see what was wrong," she answered.

"It was just a nightmare," said Splinter. "Please, go back to sleep."

"I can't sleep, Father," answered Karai. "I haven't been able to sleep since it happened. We've searched all over this city and haven't found them."

"They are still here," declared Splinter. "I can feel it."

"Well Casey and April are starting to have doubts about that," countered Karai.

"And what of the Mutanimals?" asked Splinter.

"Slash still thinks he can find them," answered Karai. "He's certain they're somewhere in this city, and the others are sure of it, too. Slash said he'd alert me if he found anything."

"Then all we can do is wait," said Splinter. "Go to bed, Miwa. You will be no use to anyone if you do not get your rest."

"Yes, Father," said Karai as she bowed to him.

Splinter sighed soon after she left and made his way to the shrine he had erected. The picture of himself, Shen, and Miwa was still there and next to it was a picture of his sons. All of them were smiling happily while Michelangelo put rabbit ears over Raphael's head. He remembered that Raphael had found out after the picture had been taken and had proceeded to chase the orange-clad Turtle through the Lair, promising to beat the green off of him.

"My sons, I know you are out there," he whispered. "Please come home."

22222

Karai sighed as she made her way to the room the Turtles had set up for her. She remembered that day perfectly and how happy they had all been to welcome her into the family. Even Raphael had been happy to see her, and that was a surprise given that Raph had been the one to not trust her from the start. She smiled as she looked at the bulletin board full of pictures of herself and her brothers. Even Splinter was in some of them, smiling happily at the family he now had. What she wouldn't give for one of Mikey's pranks or Raph's sarcastic remarks right now. She missed Donnie working in his lab and even Leo spending time with her as they sparred in the dojo. She didn't want to give up hope, but the more they turned up with no leads, the worse it was for all of them.

Suddenly, her T-Phone rang, startling her out of her thoughts. She picked it up and answered it in two rings. "Hello?" she said.

"Karai, it's Slash," the voice on the other end said. "We've got a lead on a warehouse we haven't checked before. It's near the docks."

"Have you called April and Casey?" she asked him.

"Yeah, they're on the way," Slash said. "Just get here as soon as you can."

"Okay, I'm on my way," she answered. She hung up, left a note for Splinter, and hurried out of the Lair, hope brimming in her. This had to be a lead to them. It just had to be.

She arrived in record time and noticed that the Mighty Mutanimals, April O'Neil, and Casey Jones were gathered together. She was glad to see the humans for she had feared they had given up entirely on this whole thing.

"So what's the plan, Slash?" Casey asked. "Are we just gonna go in there and fight?"

"There isn't anyone in the warehouse itself as far as we know," Slash answered. "We're just gonna go in there and investigate to see if we can find anything. We'll go in groups though, so no one gets lost. Casey, you're with Leatherhead. April, you and Rockwell can search together. Karai, you're with me. Just spread out and if you see anything, be sure to alert us. And be careful."

Everyone nodded as they fanned out in their search. Karai was certain they'd find something, but the further they went into the warehouse, the more they didn't find anything.

"What made you check this place anyway?" Karai asked him.

"Leatherhead discovered it and remembered we hadn't looked here," Slash answered. "So we decided it was a good idea to look."

"I don't think there's anything here though," Karai said.

"You're probably right," Slash said.

Suddenly, they heard April cry, "Guys, I found something!"

They hurried to where she was outside the warehouse. There was a trapdoor in the grass, and it looked like smoke was coming out of it.

"Can you open it?" Casey asked.

April tugged on the door, but it wouldn't budge. "No, it won't open," she answered.

"There has to be another exit," Karai said. She searched until she spotted another set of doors near the back. "Here!" she called.

The others hurried over, and heard voices and footsteps. Karai used her sword to pry open the door and yelled, "Guys, we're over here! Hurry!"

"Karai?" Raph's voice yelled. "Is that you?"

"Yes!" she answered. "Hurry!"

Not long after, all four Turtles came tumbling out, coughing and gasping. Raph was supporting Leo who seemed to be gravely injured. April hurried to Donnie's side and engulfed him in a hug while Leatherhead did the same with Mikey. Karai grabbed Leo and held him tight while Raph embraced Slash.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Karai whispered.

Leo pulled back and looked at her. "I'm not okay," he whispered. "I'm broken."

"You're going to be fine, Leo," she reassured him. "Let's get you home." She put Leo's right arm around her shoulder and helped him to walk. The others followed until they reached the Lair.

"Father, we've got them!" Karai called.

Splinter came hurrying out of the dojo and gasped as he saw all of the Turtles there. "My sons!" he cried.

"Sensei!" they all cried back as they hurried to him (Leo being supported by Karai) and hugged him.

"I thought I had lost you," he whispered to them.

They stayed in the hug for a few minutes before pulling apart and just looking around them.

"Thanks for saving us, guys," Raph said.

"No problem, brother," Slash said. "Now it's time for you guys to get some rest. You've been through a lot."

"Sensei, can we stay in your room tonight?" Mikey begged. "I just don't wanna stay in my room."

"Yes, you may sleep with me if you wish to," Splinter replied.

"April, do you and Casey want to stay the night, too?" Donnie asked her.

"No, we have to go to school tomorrow, but we'll stop by in the afternoon," she answered, giving Donnie a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah, we'll stop by and check on you guys," Casey said, giving Donnie a fist bump and clapping Raph on the shoulder.

"Slash, you wanna stay?" Raph asked him.

"We have to go back, Raph, but we'll come by tomorrow," he answered. "We have to give Jack the report that you guys are okay."

"Okay, see you then," Raph said.

After everyone left, the Turtles retrieved their sleeping bags and fanned out around Splinter's room to sleep. Karai slept next to Leo, her hand on his shell. She knew he'd been through so much while he was gone, and she knew it was going to be hard for him to talk about it. Still, the best thing she could do was to be there for all of them and make sure that they were going to be okay. They were going to make it through this, and at least they were home and safe. She knew Shredder had been behind this, and the first thing she was going to do was to make sure he paid for what he did to her brothers. With that last thought in her head, Karai settled down to sleep, her arm around Leo, seeking comfort in his touch as she lapsed into dreams.

A/N: So that's the end of the next chapter. I'm so excited to be bringing you this story as I love plotting it out. Next chapter will focus on Leo and what he had to go through. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Punishment

A/N: And here's chapter three. I swear, I'm getting this out faster than I thought I would, but that's a good thing as it means I won't get into too much writer's block. So now we'll find out a little about what Leo went through during his time in Shredder's Dollhouse. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far as it means a lot to me that you like this story. I hope you enjoy the next chapter as well.

Candymouse22: I'm so glad you like it so far. Thanks so much for reading.

Guest: Yep, Leo got some physical wounds, and you'll find out why in this chapter. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters are property of Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Leo opened his eyes and peered around. He was relieved to see that he was in Splinter's room surrounded by his family. He turned and saw Karai had one hand on his shell which made him smile. He gingerly moved a little so that he could sit up, causing Karai's hand to fall off of his shell. He was worried he'd wake her up, but she slept on. Leo had always been the early riser of the family, but now he realized that he really couldn't get up on his own because of his injured leg. Then he noticed a cane propped against the wall of Splinter's room. It looked as though Splinter had made it himself for Leo. The blue-clad Turtle gingerly got to his feet using his sword and limped over to the cane. Yes, it definitely looked good, and he was happy that Splinter had thought to make it for him.

He made his way out of the room to the dojo. He probably wasn't in any condition to train, but Leo was the type to at least try his best. He pulled out a katana and tried to do a kata on his good leg. It worked at first, but then his injured leg spasmed, causing him to cry out in pain. And with the pain came a memory Leo had been holding in since he came out of his prison.

22222

 _Leo was frightened as he woke up in the room. He wasn't sure where they were, but he was scared after what they'd been through. Whoever was behind this was playing games with them, and Leo was sick of it. He was certain it could have been Slash as the mutant turtle may have relapsed into his evil ways. Raph was certain it wasn't him, but Leo just wasn't sure anymore. He caught sight of his nightstand and saw that there was a sword on it. Walking over to it, he saw that the sword was engraved with the Foot Clan symbol. Now things clicked into place and he knew exactly who was behind all of this. He saw a note attached to the sword and read it._

" _Join me or suffer the consequences."—S._

 _Leo growled and glared at the camera he knew was placed there so that Shredder could watch this whole game. "I am not your doll!" he snarled. He threw the sword down and proceeded to sit on his bed._

 _Suddenly, an alarm blared, causing Leo to cringe and cover his ears. His door burst open as Foot Ninjas came into the room. Before Leo could react, he was hit with a dart which paralyzed him so that he couldn't move. The Foot Ninjas surrounded him and began beating him within an inch of his life. Leo couldn't fight back no matter how hard he tried and had to endure the immense pain of the beating. All the while the alarm continued to blare until Leo couldn't bear it anymore. Then the alarm stopped and the Foot Ninjas dispersed, closing and locking the door behind them._

 _After they were gone, Leo lay in agony, ashamed of the beating that had been inflicted upon him. He was not a warrior at all. He was a failure to his family and was not worthy to be called a leader or a warrior. He began to sob and whimpered, "I'm sorry, guys. I'm sorry, Sensei. I've failed you all."_

22222

"Leonardo, what is wrong?" a gentle voice asked.

Leo snapped out of his flashback and turned to see Splinter kneeling next to him, a paw on his shoulder and his eyes filled with concern.

"Why are you saying you are sorry?" he asked.

Leo looked at his sensei, his blue eyes filled with tears and pain. "Because I didn't protect them," he whispered. "I let them get hurt and didn't defend them. I'm a failure, Sensei, and I'm so sorry I've disgraced you. I don't deserve to be the leader anymore." He broke down and sobbed, burying his face in Splinter's fur.

"My son, it was not your fault," Splinter soothed him. "You had no control over what Shredder did to you or your brothers. You are still a brave warrior and it was your spirit that kept you alive after all of that. All of you are strong warriors, and it was your instinct to survive that allowed you to keep going. I am proud of you, Leonardo. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

Leo knew his father was right, but he just didn't feel that way at the moment. He continued to sob for a bit more before wiping his eyes and allowing Splinter to help him to his feet. The two of them went to the living room where Splinter helped Leo to sit on the couch and got an ice pack for his injured leg. Not long after, the others came out of Splinter's room, their faces full of concern for their leader.

"Are you okay, Leo?" Raph asked.

"I'm fine," Leo answered. "I just had a flashback."

"What was it about?" Mikey asked.

Leo turned away. "I don't want to talk about it," he whispered. He knew that wasn't good enough, but he just couldn't bring himself to talk about his ordeal, and it wasn't like the others had talked about their time in the Dollhouse. So why should he open up if they weren't going to?

"I'll go make breakfast," said Mikey, hurrying to the kitchen.

"Are you sure you're okay, Leo?" asked Karai.

"I'll be fine, Karai," answered Leo. "Don't worry about me."

"It had to do with Shredder, didn't it?" she demanded. "He injured you, didn't he?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Karai," replied Leo. "Just leave it be."

"I won't leave it be!" she snapped. "Shredder tortured you, Leo. He can't be expected to get away with that!"

"What do you want me to do?" Leo yelled. "It's not like I can go to his headquarters and fight him! Just stop it, Karai! I don't want to talk about what I went through!"

"You can't hide forever, Leo. Sooner or later you're going to have to talk about what happened there."

"Well, it's not going to be today!" retorted Leo.

"Karai, cool it," ordered Raph. "He'll tell you when he's ready. But I do know somethin' that can help you, Leo." He went to the TV and pulled out Leo's complete series collection of Space Heroes. "Watchin' some mindless fluff will take your mind off of it."

Leo nodded and allowed Raph to put one of the DVDs into the player to watch. He seemed to enjoy it for a little while, even reciting some of the dialogue as he used to do. But at one point when Captain Ryan was being interrogated by the main villain of the show, another memory broke through.

22222

 _Leo was in a room with no windows. He was shackled to a chair and in front of him were pictures of his brothers._

" _Choose who will get food today," Shredder's voice commanded. "If you do not choose, they will all die."_

 _Leo was scared. How could he choose between his brothers? They all meant so much to him! He calculated and figured that Raph could probably survive without food for a day while Donnie could also probably survive. But what if they didn't? What if Shredder decided to kill them all?_

" _You will choose or they will die, Turtle," Shredder commanded. "I know that you fancy yourself a hero, Leonardo. You think that by not choosing any of them you will be doing a noble thing, but that is not the case. You're so pathetic! You emulate some fictional cartoon character as though that is what a true hero is about! You know nothing about being a hero, or you wouldn't have gotten caught in my trap. Now choose or they will die!"_

 _Leo glared at the camera. "I hate you, and you will pay for this, Shredder!" he yelled. He pushed the button that was under Mikey's picture._

 _Shredder laughed. "You cannot defeat me, Leonardo! You will not win!"_

22222

"Leo? Leo, snap out of it!"

Leo gasped as he came back to himself. No, watching Space Heroes definitely wasn't helping him with this. "Sorry," he whispered.

"That's okay, bro," Raph soothed. "Did you have another flashback?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah. I guess watching Space Heroes isn't going to help."

"Well, it was worth a shot," Raph said as he stopped the DVD and shut off the player. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'll be fine," Leo answered.

Raph began rubbing Leo's shell in soothing circles, something they always did when they had a nightmare at night. Leo sighed contentedly and leaned against his younger brother. Karai got up and left the two of them alone.

"Breakfast's ready!" Mikey called.

"You up for some food?" Raph asked his brother.

Leo nodded. "Yeah, I'm starving."

The two Turtles headed to the kitchen where Donnie, Splinter, and Karai were already seated. Leo and Raph took their seats while Mikey served them plates of bacon and eggs.

"Haven't had this in a while," he commented as he served himself and sat with his brothers.

"Did you all sleep well?" Splinter asked them.

"Yeah, it was the first real sleep I've had since we've been gone," Don replied.

"I know I had good dreams," Mikey added. "It's nice to be back."

"I definitely slept better," Raph chimed in. "What about you, Leo?"

Leo nodded. "Yep, it was a good night," he replied.

"Perhaps tonight you boys can sleep in your own rooms," Splinter suggested. "Not that I did not mind the company, but you four are a little too big to be sleeping in my room now. It was a bit cramped last night."

"We're sorry, Sensei," Leo apologized. "We didn't meant to disrupt your sleep."

"No, you did not disrupt my sleep, Leonardo," Splinter reassured him. "It was just a bit cramped."

"Maybe we can try that tonight," Leo said. "So how have things been here?"

"Quiet for the most part," answered Karai. "Not a lot of activity since you've been gone, but I didn't expect the Foot to do much because they already had you. I broke up a few fights and stopped a few robberies. The Mighty Mutanimals helped me, too."

"That's cool," said Raph. "I wonder if they'll stop by today."

"Slash said he would," Leo answered. "I think April and Casey will stop by after school."

After breakfast was over, the Turtles, Karai, and Splinter headed to the dojo to begin some training. Leo stayed on the sidelines and observed while everyone else was paired up for sparring. A wistful look crossed Leo's face as he watched Karai and Raph spar. He should have been out there, too.

Splinter put a paw on his son's shoulder. "Do not be discouraged, my son," he said gently. "You will be out there again when you are healed."

Leo sighed. "I know, Sensei, but I don't know how long it'll take me to heal from this. He really hurt me."

"We are here for you, Leonardo," Splinter said gently. "We will help you get better."

Leo nodded and continued to watch the matches. When practice was over, Mikey went to play on the arcade machines, Raph settled down with a comic, and Donnie went to his lab. Leo decided to go to his own room while Karai sat and watched TV. As Leo entered his room, he suddenly grew angry as memories assaulted him of Shredder torturing him. Shredder's voice was in his head, taunting him about being a hero. With a cry of rage, Leo took out his swords and slashed at the Space Heroes posters hanging on the wall. He continued slicing them until they fell off in little bits. He then turned his attention to his action figures and was on the point of stabbing a limited edition Captain Ryan figure when a hand grabbed his arm.

"Leo, what are you doing?" Karai demanded.

Leo came back to himself and looked up at her. "I had to get rid of them," he whispered.

"You love these posters and your figures," she said gently. "Why would you get rid of them?"

Leo sighed and sat down on the floor. "When I was in that place, I woke up in a room exactly like this one," he said. "I thought maybe we were home and that it had all been a ruse, but then when I went to the door, it was locked. I thought Mikey was playing one of his tricks on me, but it wasn't that. It was Shredder messing with us. He kept teasing me about wanting to be a hero and said I'd never be one. He loved playing games with me. So, when I saw this room, I just didn't want it anymore."

Karai put her arms around Leo and held him close. "Oh, Leo, I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I really wish we had gotten you out sooner."

"It's not your fault," Leo whispered back. "You tried your best. I just wish I had been able to get us out of there."

"You can't blame yourself for any of this," she said. "It's not your fault. And as for this room, you can't let Shredder define what it is. This is your home, Leo. You have every right to enjoy your private space as anyone else. I'm going to get you some new posters, and we're going to make this room yours again. Would that be okay?"

Leo nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that," he said. "Do you remember what posters I had?"

"I do remember, so I can get them," she answered.

"Thanks, Karai," Leo said. "I'm so glad you're on our side."

"I am, too," she said giving him a gentle hug. She helped Leo pick up his figures and straighten his room so it was just as he wanted it.

Leo was happy that Karai was with them and that she was there for him. He didn't know what he would do without her. After his room was cleaned up, they lay on his bed and just talked. He didn't tell her about what happened to them, and she didn't ask him to. Instead, they talked about when they first met and memories from their favorite encounters.

"I have to say, I did like it when you showed off for me," she said. "It was just too adorable."

Leo laughed. "Yeah, and then Raph got all mad at me for doing it," he said. "He did say you were hot in an evil kind of way though."

Karai was shocked. "Raph said that?"

"Yep. I think he was jealous of what we had."

"Well, he has always been jealous of you, hasn't he?"

"Not all the time. I think he started getting jealous after I was named leader. Then it all just snowballed from there. But we have an understanding now. We definitely don't fight as much as we used to."

"That's a plus," she laughed. "I'm just glad you're home, Leo. I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Leo said.

Karai smiled and started to kiss him on the lips. He melted into the kiss but then pulled away.

"Karai, we can't do that anymore," he chastised.

"Why not?" Karai pouted.

"You're my sister," he pointed out. "Don't you think it would be weird?"

"But we're not actually blood related," she pointed out. "You were adopted by Father and I'm his biological daughter. We weren't technically raised together, so I don't see what the problem is."

"No, but if you hadn't been stolen by Shredder, we would have been raised together," Leo answered. "I do care about you, Karai, and I do wish that we could have that relationship, but I'm not comfortable with that in light of the fact that you're my sister. But we can still have a sibling relationship and love each other as siblings should."

Karai sighed. "I guess I'll have to deal then," she said resignedly. "But if you want, I can ask Father his opinion on it. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"No, that's okay," Leo said. "We'd better just keep it the way it is now." He didn't want Splinter to think badly of him if he broached the subject of getting together with Karai. He was sure Splinter would forbid it in light of the fact that they were family, and if that was the case, he definitely wasn't going to cause further strife.

"You got it," she said.

The rest of the day was spent having fun with the others as they watched TV, played video games, and just had a blast. Casey, April, and the Mighty Mutanimals came by later in the day to hang out with them, and they all had a pizza party. All in all, it was a pretty fun day, and Leo let himself forget all that had happened as he spent time with his friends and family. When it was time to go to bed, Leo went to his room and settled into his bed, covering himself with the duck blanket he'd been given when he was younger and the Space Heroes blanket Raph had given him for Christmas. He wasn't going to let Shredder rule his life and dictate what he found joy in. He wasn't going to let Shredder control him like some doll. As he lay there, he felt someone else come into his bed.

"I'm here just in case," Karai whispered.

"Thank you," Leo whispered back. "Good night, Karai."

"Good night, Leo," she answered.

Leo closed his eyes and fell asleep. He had no nightmares and he believed it was because Karai was with him. He was lucky to have her and lucky that he had survived the torture. He had to be strong and get through this and as long as he had his family and his friends by his side, he would. That was all that mattered at the moment. And when the time came to face Shredder again, Leo would make sure he paid for what he'd done to them.

A/N: And that's the end of another chapter. I sort of went by Aria's flashback in the show, but since I couldn't do the hair dye thing like she had, I did it a different way but kept the phrase, "I'm not your doll!" in there because I love that quote from the show. The other flashback was a little made up since Charles never spoke in the show, but the girls did have to go through choosing who got food and water, so I kept that part. The next chapter will be Raph's. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Crimson Tide

A/N: And now we've arrived at Raph's chapter. For now, this is the last chapter I can do until I see Pretty Little Liars tomorrow and see if there's more flashbacks. I hope they show Hanna's and Emily's because we haven't seen those yet. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me.

Guest: By all means, make an account so we can chat about PLL together. I'd like that. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Raph was getting restless. He was sick of being cooped up in the Lair and really wanted to go out. He got off of his bed and his eyes strayed to the picture of Spike that was on his nightstand. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Slash since he rescued them from the Dollhouse. Maybe this was the time to hang out and kick back. With his mind made up, Raph left his room and headed to the entrance of the Lair.

"Where are you going, Raph?" Leo asked him.

"I'm gonna visit Slash," he answered. "Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Tell him we all say hi."

"I will," Raph promised. He left the Lair and traveled to the surface. The air felt good on his skin as he ran across the rooftops to the warehouse that was the base for the Mighty Mutanimals. When he reached it, he jumped down and knocked on the door. It opened and Slash was standing there.

"Raphael, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I came to hang out," replied Raph. "Is anyone else here?"

"Nah, they went out to patrol and Jack had to do some important thing, so I'm holding down the fort," explained Slash.

"Man, Leo wouldn't be happy to hear that you're not out there," said Raph.

"Well, I kind of got injured, so I can't," said Slash. He showed Raph his leg where there was what looked like a gunshot wound. "We were fighting some Purple Dragons, and they shot me. Got the bullet out, but Jack doesn't want me fighting until it's healed."

"I can understand that," said Raph.

"How are things at home?" Slash asked him.

"Okay," answered Raph. "We're all just happy to be out of there I guess. Leo had some flashbacks the other day though."

"Have you had any?" asked Slash.

"Nope. I don't dwell on that shit. The only reason Leo's havin' 'em is because he's the type to dwell on it and beat himself up. You know I don't do that. I'm stronger than that."

"That's harsh, Raphael," said Slash. "Leo's strong, too. He's just been through a lot. You all have."

"Yeah, well, I don't wanna talk about it, so don't ask me!" Raph charged.

"Fair enough," Slash said. "You want something to drink?"

"Sounds good," Raph replied.

Slash went to the refrigerator and came out with two Mountain Dew Code Red drinks. "I remembered this is your favorite drink," he said as he handed one to Raph.

"Thanks, man," Raph said. He popped the tab and took a drink before setting it down. "So how have things been here?"

"Not too bad," answered Slash. "Been a few fights for sure. Jack wondered why you guys weren't out there, and then he remembered what you went through."

"We could go out there any time, but Leo won't," said Raph. "He says he's not ready for it, but I am. If you weren't injured, I'd say we go out there and kick some butt on our own. I just wish Leo would get over this and be the leader he used to be."

"Events change people, Raph," Slash pointed out. "You know that this ordeal's been tough on you guys whether you want to admit it or not. Give Leo some time. He'll come around." He sighed and turned on the TV to a wrestling match.

"I've been gone so long I don't know what's been goin' on," commented Raph.

"You've only been gone for three weeks," said Slash. "That's not long at all."

"It felt longer though," said Raph softly.

"I thought you didn't want to talk about it," teased Slash.

Raph seemed to come to himself. "I don't," he said. "Let's watch the match."

The two of them watched wrestling for a bit, the only sounds were when they cheered or booed a wrestler. At one point, Raph became so enraged at what happened his foot accidentally knocked over his can of pop. The can fell over, spilling a trail of red over the table. Raph stared at it, a memory he'd long suppressed coming back to him before he could stop it.

22222

 _Raph woke up, groaning. What had happened? He looked around and saw that he was in his room again. Someone had to have taken him there. He sat up and saw that his hands were covered in blood. He looked down and saw that his plastron was covered with it as well. What happened to him? Had someone roughed him up? Then his gaze fell to the floor where a trail of blood was spreading to his door. As he looked at it, he saw that something was lying in the blood right next to his door. He crawled over and gasped when he saw the blue mask._

" _No," he whispered. "Leo. What did I do?" He began pounding on the door and yelled, "LEO! ARE YOU THERE? WHAT DID YOU MAKE ME DO, SHREDDER? WHAT DID YOU MAKE ME DO?" He kept banging on the door and crying his brother's name before he collapsed, sobbing and shaking._

22222

"Raph, are you okay?" Slash asked.

Raph snapped out of the flashback and gasped, "Leo!" Then he bolted out of the warehouse and tore across the rooftops. He had to get to his brother. He had to make sure Leo was okay. He could hear Slash calling him, but he ignored him. Leo was the important thing right now. He had to make sure Leo was okay.

He arrived at the Lair and saw Leo sitting where he'd been sitting before Raph left. The red-clad Turtle hurried to Leo's side and flung his arms around him.

"Raph, what's going on?" Leo asked him. "Are you okay?"

"Leo, thank goodness you're okay," Raph sobbed.

"I'm fine, Raph," Leo said. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Raph didn't answer but continued to sob on his brother's shoulder. They heard footsteps as Slash entered the Lair.

"Raph, what happened?" the bigger mutant demanded. "Is he okay?"

"I think he may have had a flashback," Leo answered. "Could you give us a minute alone?"

"Sure," Slash answered. "I'll be in the kitchen."

Raph pulled away from Leo and looked into his brother's blue eyes. "Leo, do you remember everything Shredder did to you?" he asked.

Leo nodded. "Of course I do, Raph. It's a little hard not to with my injuries." He gestured to his injured leg. "Why do you ask?"

Raph took a deep breath. "The thing is…I don't remember everything. I woke up and I was covered in blood. The floor was full of blood too, and then I saw your mask sitting in it. I thought maybe I'd hurt you or somethin'. I thought maybe Shredder had forced me to hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me, Raph," Leo reassured him. "I would have remembered if you did. Shredder was just playing mind games with you to think you'd hurt me. But I know you never would because no matter how angry you get, you always know when to stop."

"I've hit you before," Raph told him. "I've said horrible things to you."

"Yes, but you never tried to kill me," Leo replied.

"No, but I could," Raph whispered. "That's what scares me the most, Leo. It's the fact that I could if I wanted to."

"But you won't, Raph, because you're not a killer," Leo soothed him. "You're my brother and my best friend. No matter how many fights we get in, nothing will change that."

Raph wrapped his arms around Leo. "I love you, bro," he whispered.

"I love you, too," Leo whispered back. "I always will. Just calm down, okay? Everything will be okay now."

Raph said nothing more but held onto Leo for a little longer before letting go. "I really lost it this time, huh?"

"No, it's natural to have a flashback after what you went through. If it happens again, don't hesitate to tell one of us, Raph. You know we're here for you."

"Okay," Raph said.

"Can I come in now?" Slash asked.

"Yeah, the mushy stuff is over," Raph said. "Just don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Oh, it's not over yet," Slash said. He sat down and engulfed both Raph and Leo in a hug, giving Raph a little noogie before letting go. "Okay, now it's over."

"You asshole," Raph teased, punching his friend in the arm.

"At least I come by it honestly," Slash teased back. "You wanna finish watching wrestling?"

"If Leo doesn't mind," Raph said.

"Not at all," Leo said and he switched the channel. "I didn't like what was on anyway."

Raph smiled as he watched wrestling with his two best friends. He didn't have any more flashbacks and that made him feel better. He knew that his family had his back no matter what and that was all that mattered to him. After the show was over, Raph decided to walk Slash home.

"It was nice hanging out with you guys," said Slash. "We should do it more often."

"Yeah, definitely," said Leo. "Take care, Slash. And I'm really sorry."

"For what?" Slash asked.

"For suspecting that you were behind our kidnapping," answered Leo. "I should have trusted that you wouldn't do that to us. It wasn't until I found the sword in my room that I realized it was Shredder who was behind it, not you."

"It's no big deal, Leo," Slash said. "I don't ever want to be that turtle again, but that doesn't mean that someone couldn't force me to do that to you. But you know I'd never hurt any of you on purpose, right?"

"Yeah, I do," Leo answered. "Are we cool?"

"We're totally cool, brother," Slash said as he fist bumped Leo. "See you later."

"Be careful!" Leo called.

"We always are, bro," Raph reassured him.

"That was a lot of fun," Slash commented as he and Raph raced on the rooftops. "I never thought Leo would be like that."

"Leo's pretty cool when he's not bein' a wet blanket," Raph replied.

"He's just looking out for you, Raph," Slash told him.

"I know that. But I like him when he's laid back and relaxed the best."

"Yeah, me, too," Slash agreed. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine now," Raph answered. "It was just some dumb flashback. No big deal."

"It didn't look that way to me," Slash pointed out. "You looked scary."

"Well, I'm fine now, so can we please just drop it?"

"Yeah, we don't have to talk about it," Slash answered.

They arrived at the warehouse in record time and Raph could hear the rest of the Mutanimals inside.

"Looks like everyone else is back," Raph said.

"Yep, time to get the report," Slash said. "I'll see you later, Raph. Take care."

"You too," Raph said as he fist bumped Slash. Then he watched Slash go in before heading home to the Lair. He yawned and went into his room, ready to go to sleep. He got into bed and was just ready to close his eyes when Splinter knocked on his door.

"Raphael, are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Sensei!" Raph called back. "I'm going to bed now!"

"Leonardo told me you had a flashback," Splinter said. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"Not right now, Sensei," Raph answered. "I'm tired."

"All right. Have a good rest, my son."

"Good night, Sensei." Raph sighed as he lay back down. He knew he'd have to talk to Splinter at one point about what he'd gone through, but it wasn't something he really wanted to remember. It was best just to forget about it and focus on the future. He was alive and he was going to kick some butt and take names. That was all that mattered at the moment and nothing else was going to tarnish that, not even some memories from his captivity. He closed his eyes and focused on Leo and Slash and having fun with them. The memories helped him fall asleep and chased away any nightmares he was going to have that night. Nothing was going to bring him down as long as he had his brothers and his friends with him. And one day, Shredder would pay for what he did to them.

A/N: And that's the end of another chapter. The next chapter will focus on Donnie but it won't be up until later in the week because I have to watch the PLL episode tomorrow to see if there are more flashbacks. Raph's flashback mirrored Spencer's because that's what happened to her. I just added the blue mask because I thought it would be a little more dramatic. I hope that they show Hanna's and Emily's flashbacks tomorrow. They showed us a little earlier, but I hope they really delve into it in tomorrow's episode. We'll just have to wait and see. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Melody Lingers On

A/N: So here's the next chapter in this tale and it will focus on Donnie. I'm basically winging it from here since PLL didn't give me anything I could use since they didn't show flashbacks for Hanna or Emily this time around. My guess is that they probably won't and will focus them on Aria and Spencer, which is fine. That means I can just do things for myself and make it up as I go, and I'm cool with that. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. It means a lot to me.

Guest: I am creative. I just used the stuff from PLL because it inspired me, but I did use some creative license on the flashbacks themselves. Sorry you don't like it, but that's the way I like to write. I'm winging it for the rest though, so you should be happy about that. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.

Don sighed as he looked around his room. He was still getting used to being back in the Lair after being imprisoned in the Dollhouse for so long. He got out of bed and went to his T-Phone which was vibrating.

"Hello?" he said.

"Donnie, can you come over here?" April asked him.

"Sure," Donnie answered. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just want some company."

"I'll be there." He hung up his phone, told everyone where he was going, and headed out. He was glad April wanted to see him. She hadn't had time to really hang out because she'd been busy with school, and Don had been missing her, though she did send texts and e-mails every day to check up on him. They'd become closer since he'd been back, and he couldn't help but be pleased about that.

When he arrived at April's apartment he found her waiting for him, an anxious look on her face. He smiled as he entered through her window.

"Thank God you came," she said.

"I told you I would," he said.

"I know that, but I was worried," she answered.

He embraced her. "You don't have to be worried anymore," he said gently. "I'm right here."

She sighed and leaned into his touch. His eyes scanned the room and as they did, they landed on a familiar object that was sitting on April's dresser. He did a double take, hardly daring to believe that the object was there. And as he gazed at it, a memory broke through despite his attempts to keep it at bay.

22222

 _He woke up with a groan and rubbed his head. What happened to him? As he looked around, he heard a tinkling coming from in front of him. Was that music? Curious, Donnie followed the sound until he came upon a table and the tinkling grew louder. Don gasped as he gazed at his own picture and suddenly remembered. This was the music box he'd given to April while at the farmhouse. How had Shredder acquired it?_

" _Are you confused, Donatello?" Shredder's voice asked. "Do you remember giving this to April O'Neil?"_

" _Of course I do!" Don shouted. "Why do you have it here?"_

" _Simply as proof that love is blind," Shredder answered. "Like you, I loved a woman, too. I felt deeply about her and really cared about her. We had fun together and I could tell that she really liked me. But, like a thief in the night, Hamato Yoshi stole her from me. He took the one thing I cherished above all others and broke my heart in the process. Like you, I have been wounded. And now that you are here, it seems that Casey Jones has made his move."_

 _A television screen came to life and showed April and Casey together. Don watched helplessly as Casey leaned in and kissed April on the lips._

" _You see?" Shredder gloated. "He is no better than Hamato Yoshi is. He takes advantage of your absence to steal from you. But there is a way to remedy that, Donatello. You can simply make a choice. There are two buttons in front of you. If you choose the one with April's picture on it, then I can send men to kill Casey Jones so you can have your heart's desire. You can have the love that you so desperately have wanted since you set eyes on her. Or you can choose the other picture with your brothers on it leaving you with no love life. I had no choice, but you can have one."_

" _And what happens to the choice I don't choose?" Don asked._

" _Unfortunately, they will be disposed of," Shredder replied. "It pains me to do so, but you cannot have everything in life. Make your choice, Donatello."_

 _Don looked to both pictures, his heart racing. How could he choose between his family and April?_

22222

"Donnie?" April's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Oh, sorry, April," Donnie said. "My mind must have wandered."

She looked at him quizzically. "Were you having a flashback?"

Don shook his head "No, I must have been thinking about my latest invention. You know how my mind tends to wander when I'm caught up on something." He laughed nervously.

"I don't believe you, Donnie," she said. "You were having a flashback. What was it about? Tell me."

"I wasn't thinking about my time there," he stated. "I swear, April."

"Then why won't you talk to me about this?"

"There's nothing to talk about," Don answered.

"Yes, there is," she insisted. "You had a flashback, Donnie. Your eyes were glazed over and you were breathing rapidly like you were remembering something. Please talk to me, Donnie. I can help you."

Don pulled away from her. "I just remembered I have to go back home. There's something I forgot to do."

April grabbed his arm. "Donnie, don't go!" she begged. "Please talk to me! I know I can help you through this."

Donnie shook his head, broke away from her, and made for the window. April cried after him, but he ignored her and kept on running. He wasn't going to talk about anything. He didn't need to remember anything. And then the memories kept nagging until he sank to his knees and let another one in.

22222

 _Donnie stared at the buttons, unable to comprehend what Shredder wanted him to do. How could he choose between April and his brothers? If he chose April, how was he to be guaranteed that he'd have his love life intact? And though he was less than fond of Casey Jones at times, he certainly didn't want him dead. But if he chose one, the other had to die, too! How was this fair? The short answer is that it wasn't. Then it clicked in Donnie's head. Shredder was playing a game with him, forcing him to choose. Well, he wasn't going to choose either of them. Shredder never said what would happen if he didn't choose either of them, did he?_

" _Are you going to choose?" Shredder asked him. "I'm running out of patience, Turtle."_

 _Don looked at the camera. "Yes, I've made my choice," he answered. "The choice is neither." And he threw his bo toward the camera, hitting it square in the lens._

 _Shredder laughed. "How pathetic!" he sneered. "You can't even cherish my little gift. It seems as though I'm going to have to punish you."_

 _Before Donnie could respond, an alarm went off, causing him to cover his ears. Foot Ninjas stormed into the room and grabbed him. He struggled, but he couldn't fight them no matter how hard he tried. The Foot Ninjas took him and carried him to what almost looked like a stone well. They threw him in there and left him there._

22222

Donnie sank down on the building as the memories overtook him. He had been trying so hard to forget everything, but it just wasn't working anymore.

"Dude, are you okay?" a voice asked him.

Don looked up and saw Casey Jones staring at him with a concerned look on his face. He stared at the boy who had been his rival for April for so long. Memories of watching them both kiss flared up and before Don could stop himself, he sprang up and swung his fist at the boy, hitting him square in the jaw. Casey recoiled back, a surprised look on his face.

"Donnie, what's gotten into you?" he asked.

Don didn't answer and instead continued beating on the boy, hitting him with every ounce of strength he had. For his part, Casey didn't retaliate and let the Turtle punish him severely. Don began to get tired and stopped his assault, his breath coming out in pants as he stared down at the bruised visage of Casey Jones.

"You kissed her," he said. "While I was gone, you took advantage and just kissed her."

"I did, but it wasn't because you were gone," Casey answered. "We were both worried about you guys and she was cryin' about you, so I thought I'd comfort her and one thing led to another. I did kiss her, but she pulled away and told me she loved you and had always loved you. That's when I knew I didn't stand a chance and I let her go. It was hard to do, but I knew I had to because I couldn't compete with you no matter how hard I tried to. She always loved you, Donnie."

"And does that disgust you that she would choose a freak like me over you?"

Casey shook his head. "No, it doesn't. Deep down, I always knew she liked you better, and there was a voice in my head that kept tellin' me to just stop with the games and let things play out. It's all good though. I got a new lady I'm friendly with."

"Is this someone from school?" Don asked him.

Casey nodded. "Yeah, she just moved here. Her name's Gabrielle, and she's hot. She can't resist my good looks or my charm."

Don snorted. "No, I guess not. Well, I'm glad you're happy, Casey, and I hope that means we can truly be friends."

"We always were friends, Donnie. I never hated you once."

"Then why did you fight with me over April?"

"It was a test to see if you'd fight for her, and you did. You never gave up, and I knew then that you were right for her. It wasn't about you bein' a mutant or me bein' a human. It was about who was the better man and that has always been you. Yeah, I'm hit with the ladies, but I knew I never really stood a chance with April and that you were always the one who would get to keep her. And now you can."

"Thanks, Casey, but I don't know if I deserve her."

"You do, Donnie."

"Well, maybe you should come to the Lair and get cleaned up."

"Nah, I'd rather go to Gabby's like this. I'll tell her I got into a fight with the Purple Dragons and she'll be impressed with that."

Don smiled. "If you feel that way, then so be it. I'll talk to you later. Good luck on your date, Jones."

"Thanks, Donnie. See you later." He waved and then left Donnie alone.

The purple-clad Turtle sighed as he made his way back to his sewer home. He expected Leo to be up and was surprised to find that Splinter was there instead.

"How was your time with April, my son?" Splinter asked.

"It was good," Donnie replied. "I'm tired though, so I'm gonna go to bed."

"Did you talk to her about your ordeal?"

Don froze as he processed his father's words. "No, I didn't want to talk about it," he answered.

"April is worried about you, Donatello. She wants you to open up to her and let her in."

"I don't want to let her in to my torture. It would only scare her."

Splinter shook his head. "April is tougher than you think, Donatello. She can handle anything as long as she knows you are safe. She will not break if you tell her what you went through. She will sympathize and be there for you."

Don turned away. "Maybe it's not that easy," he said softly.

"It is if you just let her in," Splinter said. "You need to open up, Donatello. You cannot hold back. Neither can your other brothers. All of you have been through a lot, and you need to talk about it."

"I don't want to. None of you need to know what I went through." And before Splinter could respond, Donatello left his father and went to his room. He knew that Splinter was right, but he wasn't ready to talk about it. He just didn't want anyone else to know what he went through so they didn't have to suffer along with him. Why couldn't April and Splinter see that? Why did they insist on forcing him to relive memories he didn't want to remember? With a sigh, he flopped down on his bed and willed sleep to come to him. Maybe if he forgot about it, everything would just go away. He wanted to just return to normal where everything was as it was before they got captured. Where he could get up, go to practice, hang out with his brothers, and invent stuff in his lab as he always did. But something in Don told him that things would never be the same. It never could and it was all because of what Shredder had done. He had damaged them, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Wait, there was something they could do. They could make Shredder pay for what he did, and when they did, he would regret ever messing with the Hamato clan. With that last thought in his head, Donnie fell asleep, hoping that tomorrow would be a new day.

A/N: So that's the end of another chapter. I had fun with this one and I hope you liked it too. Next one is Mikey's, and I already know what I'm going to do for his chapter. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Break in the Clouds

A/N: And here's Mikey's part in this little tale. I'm having a lot of fun working on this story. Only three more episodes of PLL are left, so I hope I don't run out of inspiration after they air because that would suck. But I'll keep going as long as I can. Thanks to all of those who have read and reviewed thus far. Your kind words mean the world to me and I love that you're enjoying this little tale. And fear not, Mikey fans. You'll enjoy this chapter.

Guest: Well, if you don't want to create an account, that's fine. You do what makes you feel comfortable. As for what Connie said, I can understand her point of view since I have seen Mikey get butchered like this by other authors. I get that it's all about interpretation, but I don't believe that Mikey would be afraid of the dark since he's a ninja and they have to be one with the shadows. It seems like a lot of authors overdue it and it just ruins things for me as a reader. So I have poked fun at that little trope in this chapter just because it's something that bothers me as well. Despite that, I do hope you enjoy this chapter and will continue to read, but if you don't want to, I certainly understand. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more than that.

Mikey smiled as he jumped across the rooftops. He was on his way to meet his best friend, Mondo Gecko, for some skateboarding action. He hadn't seen Mondo in a little while, and he figured it was because Mondo was busy with the Mighty Mutanimals, a group he'd joined shortly after Mikey had been kidnapped. It wasn't too long before Mikey spotted the gecko waving to him from another roof.

"Dude, I was afraid you weren't coming," Mondo said.

Mikey laughed. "As if I'd miss a chance to hang with my best bud. You ready for this?"

"You know it!" Mondo cried. "Race ya!"

The two mutants started a race to see who could be the fastest. Mikey remembered the last time they'd participated in a race. It had been when Xever, also known as Mr. X, had forced them to take part in a competition. And while it had been scary, it had also been thrilling to skate like that. Their team had won, much to Xever's dismay, and Mikey remembered that feeling of elation after it had happened.

They took a break by a water tower, panting from the exertion. Then Mondo studied him.

"So, what was it like?" he asked.

"What was what like?" Mikey replied.

"Being cooped up in that place?"

"It wasn't too bad," Mikey answered. "I mean, it sucked at times, but I managed to keep my cool in there."

"How could you? Your brothers were a wreck when they came out."

"I guess I did it because I wanted to prove that I'm not weak. My brothers have always underestimated me, and so have our enemies. So I wanted to prove to Shredder that I was just as strong as they were." Then he laughed as he recalled something.

"What's so funny?" Mondo asked.

"Well, there was this time that Shredder tried to break me," Mikey said. "It was pretty hilarious the way he tried it, too."

"What did he do?" Mondo inquired. "I mean, if you want to tell me. You don't have to if it freaks you out."

"Nah, man, I'll tell you," Mikey said. And so he let the memory in because he knew it was a safe memory to tell his friend.

22222

 _Mikey blinked as he woke up in the room. It was a lot like his room at home, but he knew he wasn't home. He looked at the camera that was perched on the ceiling. That camera was watching his every move, and yet he didn't seem to care very much about it._

" _Are you awake, Michelangelo?" Shredder's voice asked._

" _Well, my eyes are open, so it's pretty obvious I'm awake," Mikey retorted. "What do you want, dude?"_

" _I have been studying you, and I think I know the best way to break you," Shredder replied. "You are a coward, Michelangelo. You run in fear whenever anything crosses your path, so this is my way of breaking you." Then the lights went out and Mikey was bathed in darkness._

" _Um, what's the point of this, dude?" Mikey asked him._

" _Are you afraid yet, Turtle? Do you feel the shiver down your spine as you are enveloped in darkness? Do you want to be with your brothers because the dark frightens you?"_

 _Mikey laughed. "Dude, you're gonna have to do better than that."_

" _But you are afraid of the dark, Michelangelo."_

" _Pssh! I'm a ninja, dawg. The dark is my friend. I ain't afraid of it. You're gonna have to try harder to break me than to put me in the dark. That's not gonna do anything to me."_

" _Then perhaps I made a mistake," Shredder said._

" _Yeah, you have. You obviously don't know me as well as you think you do, Shred Head. Because if you did, you'd know that my fear of the dark was when I was little and I overcame that. Try again, Tin Face."_

" _Very well," replied Shredder. "I will come back when I have come up with a sufficient way to break you."_

" _Good luck with that," taunted Mikey._

 _The lights came back on, and Mikey grinned. Shredder was obviously an idiot if he thought that as the best way to break him. Obviously he had no idea what fear really was, though Mikey hoped he'd never find out what Mikey's real fear was. That was something he wouldn't be able to take if it happened. Shaking that thought aside, Mikey began doing some katas. He couldn't afford to be weak here. Shredder would see that and thrive on it. He had to remain strong until they escaped this place. It was the only way to survive._

22222

Mondo laughed. "Dude, that was hilarious! Did he seriously think he could break you like that?"

"He thought he could, but he forgot who he was dealing with," Mikey gloated. It was safe to talk about this because it wasn't a memory he was ashamed of. There was one memory he couldn't bear to think about, and he was determined that Mondo and no one else would ever know it. Because as much as Mikey wished that Shredder wouldn't torment him, it did happen, and it had been horrible. No, he couldn't think like that.

"Dude, are you okay?" Mondo asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine, bro," Mikey answered. "So, how are things with the Mutanimals?"

"Pretty good," Mondo answered. "We were doing all we could to find you guys. Slash didn't want to give up."

"I know, but I'm talking about now," Mikey said.

"Great. I love being part of that group. It makes me feel like I belong."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Mikey said. That was the one thing Mikey had always wanted in life. He always wanted a friend and to belong to someone. Now he had that in many ways.

"So how are your other brothers doing?"

"They're doing pretty good," Mikey replied. "I think they're trying their best to forget about what happened. I think we all want to do that."

"I hear you there," Mondo agreed. "I felt that way after my parents kicked me to the curb. It felt like the worst thing that could have happened to me, and I was so mad, I wanted to forget about them. Thing is, I couldn't for a long time. But now, I don't think about them much anymore. I have a new life now, and I love it."

Mikey wasn't sure if Mondo's situation compared with what he, Mikey, had been through, but he could tell that Mondo was doing his best to sympathize and that meant a lot to the orange-clad Turtle. He needed a friend right now, and Mondo was the best friend he could have other than Leeatherhead.

"Do you think you'll go after him?"

"Go after who?" Mikey asked.

"Shredder of course. I mean, look what he did to you. You gotta want revenge."

"Master Splinter says revenge isn't always the answer, Mondo," Mikey told him. "I'm mad about what happened, but going after Shredder isn't the way to beat this. Not now anyway. We're not ready for that, and it would be too risky to try it with my brothers so broken."

"But you're not broken," Mondo pointed out. "You're still the same Mikey I met before. You haven't let this get to you. As long as you're around, your brothers know there's hope out there and that you can end this."

"They do, but they have to be ready for it, too," Mikey replied. "I can't just lead them into something they aren't ready for. They have to heal first."

"You're right, but it can't stay like this. The bad guys don't have to win, Mikey."

"They haven't," Mikey answered. "Shredder thought he could break us as a family, but we're still here, and that counts for something. You want some pizza gyoza?"

"Sure thing," Mondo responded.

The two of them headed to Murakami's and got some pizza gyoza from the blind noodle chef. He was very happy to see them and asked how they were doing.

"I'm doing good, Murakami-san," Mikey answered. "How are you?"

"Pretty good. I have missed the four of you though. You have always been such a joy in my life, and I feared I would never see you again."

Mikey put a hand on the chef's shoulder. "Don't worry, Murakami-san, we're still here. We'll always be here to hang out with you. Don't sweat it, dude."

"I will try not to," Murakami replied. Then the talk turned to other subjects as Mikey and Mondo Gecko ate their pizza gyoza. When they were done, they bade Murakami goodbye and headed back to their respective homes. Before they parted, Mondo put a hand on Mikey's shoulder.

"Remember, dude, you've got friends to help you," he said. "Just say the word, and we'll help you end this."

"I know, Mondo," Mikey said. "I know it has to happen, but we have to be careful, okay?"

"I get it," Mondo said. "Take care, Mikey."

"You too, Mondo," Mikey said as he left his friend and headed for home. When he arrived he saw that Splinter was waiting up for him.

"How was your time with your friend, Michelangelo?" Splinter asked him.

"Awesome, Sensei," Mikey replied. "I'm gonna head to bed now. Good night."

"See you in the morning, my son," Splinter said gently as he kissed Mikey's forehead.

Mikey smiled and headed to his room. He could tell that his other brothers were sleeping, and that was a good sign. He took off his gear and got under the blankets. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

22222

 _Mikey awoke again and saw that he was still in the same room. Of course they hadn't escaped yet. But Mikey had remained strong because that's what he needed to do._

" _Good morning, Turtle," Shredder said. "I see you have slept well?"_

" _Yep, I'm still here, and I'm sure that pisses you off," Mikey replied._

" _It does, but there is a way to break you. You see, Michelangelo, the one thing I know you crave above all things is acceptance. You wish to be accepted by society and to have friends like you have never had before. I can give you that if you would just let me."_

" _And how are you gonna do that?"_

" _By you joining me. I know how much you miss Bradford. He was the one you connected with the most, am I correct?"_

 _Mikey cringed when Shredder mentioned Rahzar's former name. How could he have forgotten how stupid and naïve he had been back then? He had bought into Rad Brad's act and had almost been taken because of it._

" _I don't miss him," Mikey said. "He was never a good friend anyway. I have way cooler friends now."_

" _Yes, but none of them come close to Bradford. He was the first human you connected with. What if there was a way for you to start over? I am sure Bradford would like that chance as well for he really did like you, Michelangelo. You could start anew and none of the past will be relevant. You could leave your brothers who only hold you back."_

" _I'm happy where I am, thanks," Mikey said. "I have better friends and you know it. I don't need Rahzar as a friend."_

" _I will give you a choice, Turtle," Shredder said. "Go to the table and look there."_

 _Mikey did as Shredder asked and saw three pictures with buttons beneath them. One was of Leatherhead, one of Mondo Gecko, and the other had Rahzar's picture on it._

" _I will give you the chance to choose between these friends," Shredder said. "Fail to do so, and your brothers will die."_

 _Mikey stared at the pictures. He had to make a choice, right? Well, he knew Rahzar wasn't an option for Mikey would never join the Foot. But how to choose between Mondo and Leatherhead? He cared about both of them dearly. He was the one who was able to calm Leatherhead down when he went into a rage and was the only one who had truly understood him when they first met. But Mondo was a pretty cool dude, too! They had such fun together. What was going to happen if he chose one and not the other?_

" _Think, Mikey, think," he whispered to himself. "It's gotta be a trick. Shredder doesn't want my bros to die, and I know if I choose one, he'll probably kill the other one, though I know he won't kill Rahzar. Okay, I think I know what to do."_

" _I am waiting, Turtle. Have you made a decision?"_

" _Yeah, I have," Mikey said. "I choose none of them, Shredder. Up yours!" He turned around and waggled his butt in front of the camera. "Ha, I beat you, and if you choose to kill them, then you have to kill Rahzar, too!"_

" _That is a shame, Michelangelo. I did hope you were smarter than that. I suppose I will have to kill them then since you are not good at following directions."_

" _But I did follow your stupid directions," Mikey retorted. "You said to make a choice, so I chose neither."_

" _But that was not a choice you were allowed to make. You were supposed to choose one of them and you have chosen neither. So that means that you will suffer for that as will your brothers."_

 _Before Mikey could say anything else, an alarm sounded, causing him to cover his ears. Foot Ninjas burst into the room and grabbed him. Mikey tried to fight, but they overtook him and carried him out to an empty room before leaving him there and closing the door. Mikey looked around and wasn't sure what to expect._

" _Okay, what's going on here?" he asked._

" _I think that should be obvious," a familiar voice growled. Rahzar, formerly Chris Bradford, famous martial artist, came out of the shadows, leering at Mikey._

" _Wait, you're my punishment?" Mikey asked him. "Dude, that's not even a big deal to me. I can take you on any time I want."_

" _But I don't want to fight you, Michelangelo," Rahzar replied. "Master Shredder was right. I really did connect with you that day we met."_

" _But you tricked me," Mikey said. "You said you weren't my friend and that no one would be my friend because I'm a freak. So, sorry, Rad Brad, but I don't believe you one bit."_

" _Very well then. You had your chance to fix things, but since you won't, I guess I'll have to fight you."_

 _Mikey looked down and saw that his weapons weren't in his belt. No matter. He knew he could fight with anything from this room. Rahzar lunged at him and he dodged the attack. He spotted some chains and grabbed them, spinning them just like his nunchucks._

" _Okay, Rahzar, if this is the way you want it, so be it," he said. "Booyakasha!" He lunged at the mutant wolf and managed to hit him on the nose. Rahzar growled and tried to fight back, but Mikey kept dodging him. It went on like this for some time until Rahzar managed to pin Mikey beneath him._

" _It's such a shame you don't want to be friends," he said. "You really do have potential to be a warrior for the Foot. But it looks like I'll have to finish you myself."_

 _Mikey grinned. "Sorry, but the game's up," he declared. Then he used all of his strength to knock Rahzar into a pile of crates. The crates came crashing down on the mutant dog, knocking him out. Mikey smiled and dusted his hands together. "Looks like I win."_

 _Then the alarms sounded again and the Foot Ninjas came back. Mikey began fighting them, but he was winded from the fight with Rahzar and didn't have the strength to take on all of them. He gave in as they rained blows on him until blackness overcame him._

22222

Mikey bolted up in bed, breathing hard. He really didn't think he'd have that memory come to him tonight.

"Mikey, are you okay?" a voice asked.

Mikey turned to see Leo silhouetted in his doorway, a look of concern on his face. "I'm fine, Leo," he answered. "It was just a stupid dream."

"It sounded like you were having a nightmare," Leo corrected him. "You want to talk about it?"

"No, I can handle things on my own," Mikey replied. "I don't need your help. I'm not some dumb kid, Leo."

"I never said you were, Mikey."

"But you treat me like that all of the time. You act as though I'm not tough enough to handle anything. But you know what? I am tough. I was tough enough to handle everything Shredder threw at me no matter how much it hurt. I kept on going because I knew I had to do it for you guys. I wanted to prove to Shredder and to you guys that I'm not weak and that I'm just as tough as you, Raph, and Donnie. And I did, Leo. I proved it to all of you. So you can stop acting like I'm some stupid kid who can't even handle a simple nightmare."

"Mikey, I didn't come here because I thought you were weak," Leo told him. "I know you can handle things, and I'm proud of you for how you handled yourself in the Dollhouse. I just came because I was worried about you and because I have nightmares too. Having bad dreams doesn't mean you're weak, Mikey. You have every right to have them just as much as we do. I just wanted to talk to you about it and tell you about mine also."

"Oh," Mikey said softly. "Well, that's cool, Leo, but we don't have to talk about it. I'm fine and I know you'll be okay, too. I think we can talk about it tomorrow with Splinter and everyone else. Maybe that'll be better because we can tell Sensei what happened and get it out of our systems. What do you say, bro?"

Leo smiled. "I think that'll be fine, Mikey," he answered. "But you know that if you ever need to talk, I'm here, right?"

"I know, Leo. And I'm here if you need to talk, too. Sorry I blew up at you like that."

"That's okay, bro. I understand where you're coming from, and I'll do my best to treat you better in the future."

"Thanks, Leo. You've always been my favorite brother."

Leo laughed. "Don't let Raph or Donnie hear you say that. I'll see you in the morning. Good night, Mikey."

"Good night, Leo," Mikey said. He gave his older brother a hug and smiled as Leo stroked his shell. Then he watched Leo leave and settled back to sleep. Whenever he began to have a nightmare, he imagined Leo beside him, giving him comfort and that made everything go away. He could withstand everything as long as he had his family beside him. Thinking of them made him strong and he knew that's what gave him strength to go on in the Dollhouse. With any luck, they'd get through this and then make Shredder pay for what he did to them. He wasn't going to get away with this and he was going to find out that Hamato Michelangelo wasn't all about fun and games when it came to messing with his family.

A/N: And that's the end of Mikey's chapter. I had to poke fun at the afraid of the dark thing since so many authors tend to make Mikey afraid of the dark. While I think he'd have that fear as a young tot, I would think he'd grow out of it, especially as he's a ninja and they kind of have to operate in the dark sometimes. So that's why I added that in. I hope you enjoyed it and that it gave you a different glimpse of Mikey than what we've seen on the show and in other stories. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up or what it'll be about, but I'll do my best to get it up when I can.


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